Are you kidding me? I usually agree with you about "architecture elitists" but with a design like this it doesn't matter what year it was built in, its got horrible proportions and will look extremely cheesy because of that. just look at how awkwardly large the top of the main tower is, it look's about 50% larger than it should be.

Not to mention this will probably be clad in some horrid material like Precast or painted concrete that will add to the cheese over time...

No one in their right mind would have built something this ugly in 1890.

Hmm, i really dont know what to say about this one. So i will just look at the picture again...

:shrug:

So's Phoenix, but they have trees there. It's not like Mecca's new & they just haven't had a chance to put in some plants. It looks misersable.

They should move it all to Orlando, since that's where so many people already make their pilgrimage each year. :justkidding:

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How I feel about the building seems immaterial compared to how fascinating I find that photo. If no other talls come to be built in Makkah, this building will be an icon regardless.

BTW, I see some Tamarisk trees in that photo, but most are likely to be found in the canyons and drainages between hills and along creeks and streams, not directly on hillsides. And if I'm not mistaken, Phoenix doesn't have trees on hillsides either. Of course, we all know that Phoenix's landscaping comes at great expense to their water supply.

Having hiked Phoenix's 3 highest mountains, I can confirm that they do not. The newer suburbs are using more desert landscaping, so there are still some but fewer trees. As far as natural trees go, you need to get about 5000' up into the surrounding mountains to find any.

But back on topic--how tall has the main portion gotten, roughly?

I t would be ugly if it was built back then too. It's just a case of a building being ugly, no other way to look at it. No matter how much lipstick you try to put on this one, it's still a pig.

I don't know... if this was built in 1890 it would be pretty amazing.

It's kinda tall. :D

And all of those trees make Phoenix the model of sustainability.

I saw this thread at the top of the list and decided to check it out again after a long time. I dont know if its been mentioned, but this thing to me looks like it would be on the strip in Las Vegas. The side towers could be the hotel rooms and casino straight ahead.

this building is garish but considering the layout of mecca (small buildings hemmed in by mountains) and the magnitude of the amount of pilgrims, it makes sense. i doubt there are many motel 6's and holiday inn's along the freeway around mecca.

I really do not like the clock tower, but I've always liked this project. I think the current version is crap, I fell in love with the 2005 design. Either way though, this is an amazing project for it's location. It will dominate like no other. :)

It does make sense but notheless, the design is not respectful neither of its natural environement nor of the Mecca's mosque.

My 3000th posts !!

I wasn't aware that there was ever any version but the current one. ... Could you link us elsewhere?

any updates for this tower?:(

wow this is one of the strangest looking and most interesting cities I have ever seen. Incredible, look at those basaltic mountains, incredible! I dont particularly like the tower, but what the heck, right? I sure hope to Allah that they didnt destroy any thousand year old structures while building this, since it is across from Islams most holy site. I am sure they destroyed something important to suck off the money from the pilgrims.

^^^ that hotel is seriously needed though....

Can you imagine something like that being constructed on the edge of Vatican City. It is a really different mindset from the West.

I had never seen a picture of Mecca before........but certianly not what I expected. Like many others I imagine..........I pictured Mecca to be nothing but sand sand and a little bit more sand. Hmmmm.

The pictures above seems some new development in other hard living planet. It is kind of like the Endevour or some space shuttle landed in other planet some time ago to make a village or small town for mine and minerals searching. Then this huge Tower to control the selvagerie among all kind of people, mainly prisoners or all type of humanoids to conquest the new desert planet. It is a good scenary next Stars Wars film... and here in Earth. Because of this special Caracter I would like sometime to visit, of course not as pilgrim, but some tourist amenities in this huge hotel.:tup: My question: Where are the spaceships on photo skies??

I can't believe that Muslims let that happen. After all, it's their own sacred ground : they do what they want with it but it is in my opinion disrespectful of the holly ground.

Yeah something like this would never ever happen in the western world. I mean that thing would totally destroy the historical feel of that area by having one of the worlds tallest buildings by it and not like the people that travel there will really be able to stay in it, since I doubt many of them could afford staying there at all. Its a shame.

I agree that it seems in a place of such high spiritual regard, that a purely money making, ego-driven project is built literally next door.. overpowering the place of worship.

And for those of you who would like to visit someday.. I hope you're Muslim. Non-Mulsims are not allowed in Mecca.. Saudi law.. look it up. :gtfo2:

Hi,

I'm new here. I couldn't find an introduce yourself section anywhere so I think I'll just introduce myself here. :) I'm Yasir from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, I've been visiting this site for years and might have even signed up before (can't recall) but this is my first post.

About the Abraj al Bait Project, it isn't really about ego or making money. The complex is, as far as I know, a waqf project which means that it is is for charity. The complex is not owned by King Abdullah who's project it is nor will it be inherited by his children. Also any money made from it would go to charity. There's actually a long history of rulers of Muslims creating waqf endowments in Makkah.

About the location and the size, the rulers of this country were people who once lived hand to mouth in the desert and that made them extremely practical. Building a huge complex close to the Mosque was the most practical alternative in order to accommodate the increasingly large number of pilgrims who arrive every year.

And although the Hajj does stimulate the economy of the Hijaz region, just like it has for thousands of years, I doubt the government makes any money off the hajj. A lot of things are subsidized here, water and flour are two examples and these subsidized goods are consumed by the pilgrims, which costs the government. There are also no taxes on income so money earned by businesses doesn't directly affect the government accounts either.

I'll take pictures of the Abraj and put them up next time I go to makkah. :-)

This is Makkah, for anyone wondering !!

http://www.asarimurni.com/imagehaj/makkah_satalite.jpg

http://www.ece.ubc.ca/~tkhattab/Images/makkah-space.jpg

Man that is dense, sucks that they dont allow non muslims there, otherwise I would totally go! Maybe Ill pretend to be, I wonder if they would know? I could just study the religion and then say I was just to go, hehe, but then I would have bad karma or something.

Thanks for that info Yasir- it does change the perspective a bit if that is indeed true about the proceeds. :) However, given the design of the structure, there is a lot about this that doesn't look very practical! I'm sure there is a huge demand for hotel space, but I still don't get why it has to be such an overpowering structure right next door, competing for attention. IMO it takes away from the significance of the site. :shrug:

I've an open mind, though. I would like more info if you have any more.. and I would LOVE to see more photos. Even if just the city itself. I'm sure a lot of others would be curious as well since most of us are not allowed in the city.. :tup:

Same here!

This thing looks so crazy. :banana: I mean, this building alone is like :worship: but to put such a huge thing right into this town is even :koko:
.

I hope there are some more photos coming soon for this tower, i want to see how much of an abomination it is.

Ok, look what I found. I could not believe my eyes! They have destroyed the house of Proph. Muhammad and turned it into a 500-seat toilet, while the Marriot is occupying the house of Abu Bakr, the companion of Muhammad!! The Abraj al-Bait towers are being built on the ruins of the house of Hagar the Egyptian, wife of Abraham and the distant ancestor of Muhammad!!!

http://www.savethehijaz.org/

http://al-muslima.blogspot.com/2008/01/save-hijaz.html

It seems there is an intention involved in destruction of every vestige of early Islam and its Prophet!!! Read the stuff in these pages and you will be dumbfounded as I did! And NO protests from the Muslims who get angry when some crazy draws an insulting cartoon of their Prophet. So it is okay to destroy his house and turn it into toilets (look at those arial photos of Mecca----it is that huge white roofed building next to the grand Mosque..

If the purpose was truly to accommodate the pilgrims, all these buildings--Marriot and all--could have been easily built a mile away and spare the holy of holies of Islam. Only a fool would not see the sinister intentions behind this.

By the way, do pay attention to the fact that the construction company that is doing all this, is none other than: Ben Laden Co.!!!!

I am speechless, to say the least. Read the following, and you will not be cheering for these buildings in Mecca any more. How can the followers of any religion stay aside and let this happen to their historical and revered sites? And it seems all of it is being done by the tiny Wahhabi sect that runs Saudi Arabia and the al-Qaeda!!! Wow!


http://news.independent.co.uk/world/...icle304029.ece

http://underprogress.blogs.com/weblo...test_edit.html

http://madsufi.com/?p=39

http://jafariyanews.com

http://www.islamicamagazine.com/content/view/161/59/

http://www.muslimprofessionals.org.u...29&postcount=1

http://www.mofa.gov.sa/Detail.asp?In...wsItemID=38752

Very interesting - really puts this building into prespective.

:worship:

There was a massive discussion about this on SSC but turned into trolling eventually as usual. I agree it's terrible what they're doing.
On SSC some kept on saying that Mecca needs as many of these projects as they can get to accomodate the pilgrims. Sure they need the space but they could easily build a metro (which it currently doesn't have) and build this stuff a mile away.

By the way, the bin laden construction company is not al qaeda, Osama is part of the family but they dissowned him once he started being involved in terrorism. In fact that same company was originally supposed to build the burj dubai but they decided against it.

I think it's not as bad as it seems after explanation by Yasir besides, pilgrims don't go to Makkah for the view.

I'm locking this thread until something factual regarding this building comes to light. . . if you have any information you'd like posted please PM me. . . until then this thread has become rife with off topic posts. . .

Some updates from July 14th
Posted by Saudi Guy on SSC
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/...b4085020_o.jpg


Please no bullshit this time.

mashala
 

AMAZING - I love the way tradition, and heritage blend in with the way they are progressing, simply amazing.

Malec, did you take that yourself?

Too bad neither tradation nor heritage are evident in this building.

You think I could get in there?:D
It's from flickr somewhere. Somebody posted it on SSC

^You need to credit the flickr user for the photo. . .

Allah, that tower is horrible! It totally destroys the feel of one of the worlds most historic places! It is pretty massive and in another location it may look great but whatever.

Whoops sorry, was actually taken by Saudi Guy on SSC

Well at least if they put that huge clock on top then everyone in the mosque will know what time it is.

What you should do is put right under the photo: From Flickr by Saudi Guy.

Looks awesome. I love that it reminds you that it is in the middle of a large city. One day I will be able to visit Mecca, when it is time.

^Mecca is not really a 'large city'. The 2008 estimate of Mecca and environs is only 1.7 million, and that is quite dubious/generous given the impossibility of separating pilgrims from actual residents (pilgrims come year round now). The 'old city', where this project is being built, is quite small (300k) and hemmed in by mountains. It is quite incongruous to the scale and sacred nature of what Mecca once was.